Envelope hopper and stripping mechanism for mail treating apparatus



March 7, 1944. c 3 RYAN ETAL 2,343,479

ENVELOPE HOPPER AND STRIPPING MECHANISM FOR MAIL TREATING APPARATUSOriginal Filed April 29, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 g 1 .E... 1 i T -/o5INVENTOR FRANK SAqE/P 0MM000RE .0. RYAN ATTORNEYS March 7, 1944,

Original Filed April 29, 1940 C. D. RYAN ET AL ENVELOPE HOPPER ANDSTRIPPING MECHANISM FOR MAIL TREATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR FRANK P. SAGER. COMMODOFE 0. RYAN.

312m Cwdiw ATTORNEYS March 7, 1944. '1 c D RYAN ETAL 2,343,479

ENVELOPE HOPPER AND STRIPPING MECHANISM FOR MAIL TREATING APPARATUSOriginal Filed April 29, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 7- I m w m 7'" "/k 2/2 2%m 2/? i 165 'INVENTOR v-,-.-.-=.-.- FeA/wr P. JAGER. I COMMODORE 0.RYAN.

(am-m ma. ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 7, 1944 ENVELOPE HOPPER AND STRIPPINGMECH- ANISM FOR MAIL TREATING APPARATUS Commodore D. Ryan and Frank P.Sager, Los Angeles, Califl, assignors to National Postal Meter Company,Inc., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Original applicationApril 29, 1940, Serial No.

332,305. Divided and this application December 2, 1941, Serial No.421,320

14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a mail treating machine andmore particularly to a feeding device including an envelope hopper andstripping unit for feeding mailing matter such as envelopes or postcards into the machine.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an envelope hopperand stripping unit for a mail treating machine which is simple andinexpensive in construction and yet thoroughly durable under conditionsof extended rigorous use. Another object is to provide apparatus of theabove nature capable of accommodating a wide variety of envelope sizesand shapes as well as other types of mailing matter such as post cards.Another object is to provide an envelope feed hopper of the above naturein which either sealed envelopes or unsealed envelopes with their flapsdepending therefrom may be stacked and fed into the machine. Otherobjects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will beexemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scopeof the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the drawing wherein is shown one embodiment of our invention:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the mail treating machineand showing the envelope feed hopper with a stack of envelopes therein;

Figure 2 is a fragmental sectional view taken substantially along theline 22 of Figure and showing the leading end of the envelope hopper;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially along theline 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front view partially in section of the machineshown in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional elevation taken substantially alongthe line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 1-4 ofFigure 6; and,

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 ofFigure 6.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

The mail treating machine shown in Figure 1 is disclosed in its entiretyin the copending application of Frank P. Sager, et al., Serial No.332,305, filed April 29, 1940, of which this application is a division.

The feed hopper to be particularly described hereinabove mentioned isgenerally indicated at 15! and in general is so constructed as to permitits ready adjustment for the reception of a wide range of envelope sizesand shapes to be treated. The envelopes, sealed or unsealed, may beindiscriminately placed therein. For example, those envelopes to besealed as well as stamped may be placed in the hopper with their flapsnested, i. e. with their flaps open and hanging down over the envelopeconveyor table I as shown in Figure 8. The unsealed envelopes may bestacked in the hopper along with envelopes which have been sealed orwith envelopes which may have had their flaps folded within their bodyportions. All of such envelopes are successively conveyed from thehopper and those requiring sealing will be passed through a moisteningdevice While those not requiring sealing will pass over the moisteningdevice and all in turn will be delivered to the postage printing device.In other words in using hopper IEI, it is not necessary to segregate thesealed from the unsealed envelopes before placing them in the hopper.

Feed hopper I5! includes a front plate I68 secured to a suitable bracketI69 extending forwardly from the intermediate frame plate IBI of themachine above a conveyor table I65. The plate I63 of the hopper isinclined as shown in Figures 1 and 7 and its lower edge is spaced abovethe envelope conveyor table N5 in the manner shown in these figures.

A guide plate I!!! extends from the hopper to the printing drum of themeter to guide the envelopes during their passage through the machine.This guide plate is clearly shown in Figures 2 and 5 and at its hopperend is angled rearwardly and upwardly as indicated at I'll in Figures '2and 5 and acts to guide the envelopes successively into accuratetransferring register with the front face of this plate as the stack ofenvelopes feeds down in the hopper and thereby insures the correctregister of each envelope with the sealing and printing mechanisms ofthe machine.

In order to permit a relatively tall stack of envelopes to be placed inthe hopper, its front plate I 68 is provided with a flanged enveloperetaining plate I12 which extends upwardly from the surface Ill and isflared slightly to the rear of the machine to facilitate rapid stackingof the envelopes into the hopper.

As previously pointed out, the feed hopper [5! may be adjusted toaccommodate envelopes varying greatly in width and for this purpose itsside plate I13 is made adjustable. To provide for the adjustability ofside'plate I73, it is carried upon the forward end of the slide bar I14,which bar is slidably mounted in channel I15 formed. in frame bracketI59 and confined therein by the front hopper plate I68 (Figures 7 and8). A friction means is provided for yieldingly maintaining the slidebar in any position of adjustment which means includes as illustrated inFigure '1, a friction plate I16 mounted in recess I'l1 formed in bracketI69 and yieldingly pressed against the upper edge of the slide bar I14by means of spring I18 which encircles the retaining screw I19 and actsbetween the head of this screw and the plate. The side plate I13 isconnected to the slide bar I14 to provide for a limited amount ofmovement between these two parts to provide the necessary clearancebetween the envelopes and side plate I13.

The adjustable side plate I13 at its upper end is hinged to the bracketplate I88 (Figure 2), which, in turn, is securely fastened to the slidebar I14. An adjusting pin IBI is fastened to plate I13 and passes freelythrough the bracket plate I80 and slide bar I14. Mounted upon the freeend of pin I8I is knob I82. Surrounding pin I8I and acting between thebracket plate I88 and the inner surface of knob I82 is a spring I83which acts to normally maintain the adjustable side plate I13 in contactwith the bracket plate I89 as shown in Figure 2.

The knob I82 i provided with a shank I84 counterbored to receive springI83 and the shank extends to within a distance from the slide bar I14corresponding to the clearance necessary between the stack of envelopesand side plate I13 after the latter has been adjusted to suit the widthof the envelopes stacked in said hopper.

With the device just described, it is an easy matter to adjust the sideplate I13 to the proper setting for the width of envelopes to be treatedand it automatically provides the necessary clearance between theenvelopes and side plate. It is recommended that this adjustment beaccomplished in the following manner: The side plate I13 should be firstmoved outwardly to a distance greater than the width of envelopes to beplaced within the hopper, next the envelopes should be placed in thehopper and by pressing upon the knob I82, the spring I83 will becompressed until the shank I84 of the knob engages the slide bar I14whereupon the bar and plate will be moved inwardly toward the stack ofenvelopes until the side plate I13 contacts said stack, at which pointthe knob I32 may be released and the spring I83 will thereupon act towithdraw the plate from the stack a distance corresponding to the spacebetween shank I84 and bar I'M to provide the necessar clearance betweenthe plate and envelopes.

As a further aid in adjusting plate I13, the top surface of the envelopeconveyor table IE is provided with a graduated scale representing thewidth of envelopes in inches (Figure 1). As an example of the manner inwhich the plate may be adjusted with respect to this scale, it will beassumed that envelopes 4 inches in width are to be treated and the plateis in position to treat envelopes of a narrower width, the first actionwill be to move the plate out beyond the 4-inch graduation and then tomove the plate inwardly by pushing upon knob I82 until the bottom edgeof the plate aligns with th 4-inch graduation and then upon release ofthe knob, it will automatically move outwardly to provide the necessaryclearance in the manner previously described.

To insure an accurate feeding of the envelopes from the hopper, it isdesirable to support the rear end of the envelope stack upon a raisedinclined surface (Figures 1, 3, and 5). This feature maintains thelowermost envelopes in the stack in shingled relation, as shown inFigure 1, whereby as the envelopes feed down in the stack and engagethis surface, they are urged to the right as viewed in Figure 1, untilthey engage the curved surfaces of the stripper discs. This not onlystarts a stripping action between the individual envelopes, but at thesame time progressively feeds the envelopes into the stripper.

This mechanism includes a lift member I (Figures 1, 3, and 5) having aninclined surface I86. The lift member may be formed of a suitablecasting and slidably mounted upon the left hand end of the envelopeconveyor plate I65 for adjustment along said plate to suit the length ofenvelopes to be treated.

The lift member is maintained in alignment with the envelope conveyorplate I65 through a slot and key connection, which connection is shownin Figures 1 and 5 and includes providing the plate with alongitudinally extending slot I81 and the lift member with a key I88slidably extending into said slot. Friction means are provided toyieldingly maintain the lift member at any position of adjustment andthis friction means may include (Figure 5) a screw I89 extendingdownward from the lift member casting through the key and slotconnection for supporting friction spring I98. The spring I99 actsbetween the head of screw I89 and a suitable friction disk I9I engagingthe undersurface of plate I65. A knob I92 provides a convenient handlefor moving the lift member along the plate I65. This structure permits aquick and easy adjustment of the feed hopper to suit envelopes ofvarious lengths.

To maintain the rear ends of the envelopes stacked in the hopper fromshifting out of the proper alignment, the lift member carries anenvelope guide plate I93 supported from the lift member by bracket I96,spacers I95, and suitable screws (Figures 3 and 4). As may be observedin these figures, the guide plate is spaced from the lift member adistance sufficient to provide room for the nested flaps of theenvelopes to hang down over the inner edge of the envelope conveyorplate I65. Referring particularly to Figure 4, it will be observed thatthe guide plate I93 is angled rearwardly which angle generallycorresponds to the backward slope of a stack of envelopes placed in thehopper having their flaps nested. It also may be desirable to angle theguide plate I93 to correspond to the slope of the front hopper plate I68as shown in Figures 3 and 5.

A feed hopper of the type described is easily and quickly adjustable tosuit a wide range of envelope lengths, widths, and thicknesses and willfunction with a high degree of reliability.

The stripper mechanism generally indicated at I52 (Figure 1) comprisesanother important feature of the machine. It operates to prevent thefeeding of more than one envelope or piece of mail matter from thehopper at any one time. As a further feature, the stripper is madeadjustable so as to efficiently strip relative thick, as well asextremely thin light mail matter.

The stripper assembly includes three separate and individually operablestripping units I96 which may be substantially of the same construction.It is desirable, however, to provide the center stripper unit with ametallic stripper disc and to provide the other units with rubber tiredstripper discs. Inasmuch as the stripper units are identical inconstruction, excepting for the difference in the stripper discs asabove pointed out, the same reference numbers will be used for thecorresponding parts, and the description of one will suffice for all.

Each stripper unit I96 may include a pair of,

spaced brackets I91, having a stripper disc I98 clamped rigidlytherebetween by means of bolt I99. The brackets I91 are provided witharms 299 which arms extend to the left as viewed in Figure 7 and arepivotally mounted on pin 28I suitably mounted on the bracket I69(Figures 6 and 7). The brackets I91 are provided with upwardly directedextensions 282 which extensions are hingedly connected as at 283 to ahead 284 of an upwardly extending rod 285 which rod in turn projectsthrough a plate 286 mounted on bracket I69. Interposed between the head264 and plate 296 is a compressed spring 201 which normally urges thedisc I98 downwardly. The upper end of rod 205 is provided withadjustable stop nuts 288. A height regulating bracket 269 is hinged tothe bracket I69 by pin M8. The said bracket 289 extends horizontally tothe right as viewed in Figure 7 and is provided with bifurcations 2H tostraddle the upper end of the rods 265 below the stop nuts 268. Arcuatepads 2I 2 are provided at the sides of the bifurcations 2I I to engagethe underside of the lower stop nut 208.

The height regulating bracket 289 is adjusted by means of an eccentriccam 2I3 which cooperates with a boss 2! on the underside of said bracket269. The eccentric cam 2I3 is pinned on shaft 2I5 which shaft isjournaled at its ends in bracket I69. The forward end of shaft 2I5projects beyond bracket I69 and has attached thereto a handle 2I6 whichhandle also acts as a pointer for an arcuate dial 2| I, fastened to thefront face of bracket I69 (Figure 1). 2|? is provided with calibrationsto indicate the setting for stripper discs to a proper adjustment forthe thickness of mail to be treated.

To yieldingly maintain the eccentric shaft 2I5 in the set position, afriction clamp is provided which includes a pair of jaws 2I8 recessed asshown in Figure 8 to straddle hinge pin 2") and eccentric shaft 2I5. Thejaws 2I8 are yieldingly urged into pinching engagement with eccentricshaft 2l5 by compression spring 2I9 interposed between the head of atension adjusting screw 22!) and the upper of the two jaws 2I8. Theadjusting screw 228 passes freely through a hole in the upper jaw 2I8and is threaded into the lower jaw as shown in Figure 8.

It will be seen upon inspection of Figure 6 that the stripper units I96are separated so that feed belts 22I are positioned between the discsI98. It will also be seen that the center disc I98 is metallic and thediscs at the sides are provided with rubber tires 223.

The rubber tired discs I98 yieldingly hold down the bottom envelope I66of the stack against the table I65 and hold back the remaining envelopesin the stack during the metering operation. The center metallic stripperdisc I98 holds down the bottom envelope against the feed belts 22L thusproviding the frictional contact with feed belts 22I for stripping thebottom envelope from the stack. The frictional contact of envelope withfeed belts MI is adjusted by setting the stop nuts 288.

All three of the stripper discs I96 are adjustable in unison to operateupon the thickness of mail matter to be treated by manipulation ofhandle 2 I 6 to raise or lower the stripper discs to suit the The dial.

thickness of the particular mail matter to be treated.

The stripper discs I98 are securely clamped between brackets I91 to holdsaid discs against rotation during the stripping and feeding of mailmatter from the hopper. However, when the discs have become worn, andparticularly the rubber tired discs, they may be turned to present a newsurface for engagement with the mail matter.

Thus stripper units I96 cooperate with feeding belt 29I which is a partof a metering mech: anism, the details of construction and operation ofwhich are fully set forth in the copending application of Commodore D.Ryan, Serial No. 421,321, filed December 2, 1941, which copendingapplication is also a division of the above-noted Sager, et a1.application.

It may now be seen that We have provided an envelope hopper andstripping mechanism which attains in a thoroughly efficient andpractical manner the several objects set forth hereinabove.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and asmany changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is tobe understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth, or shown in theaccompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

We claim:

1. In a stripping mechanism for the feed hopper of an object treatingmachine, a pair of spaced non-rotative rubber-tired stripping rollers,means mounting each of said rollers for independent movement, a singlecontrol means for limiting the movement of said rollers in theirdirection of contact without affecting the independent upward movementof said rollers when engaged by an object, and an independent springmeans for each roller arranged to independently resist the upwardmovement of each of said rollers.

2. In a stripping mechanism for the feed hopper of an object treatingmachine; a pair of spaced non-rotative rubber-tired stripping r011- ers,means mounting each of said rollers for independent movement, a singlecontrol means operable for selecting the plane of contact of saidrollers with respect to the objects without affecting the independentupward movement of said rollers when engaged and lifted by said objects,means for indicating the setting of said control means and anindependent spring means for each roller arranged to resist the upwardlifting movement of their respective rollers.

3. In a stripping mechanism for the feed hopper of an object treatingmachine; a pair of spaced non-rotative rubber-tired stripping rollers, ametal-treaded stripping roller positioned between said rubber-tiredrollers, means mounting each of said rollers for independent movement, asingle control mechanism operable for simultaneously adjusting all ofsaid rollers with respect to the objects without affecting theindependent upward movement of said rollers when engaged and lifted bysaid objects, and a separate spring means acting between each of theroller mounting means and the frame of the machine for resisting theupward lifting movement of said rollers.

4. In a stripping mechanism for the feed hopper of an object treatingmachine, a pair of spaced non-rotative friction treaded strippingrollers, and a non-friction treaded stripping member positioned betweenthe pair of said rollers and having its envelope-engaging surfacearranged to be. engaged by the center portion of the envelopes at thetime of their engagement with said rollers but at a higher level.

5. In a stripping mechanism for the feed hopper of an object treatingmachine, a pair of spaced friction-treaded stripper members, and anon-friction pressure member positioned between and slightly above saidfriction stripper members.

6. In a stripping mechanism for the feed hopper of an object treatingmachine, a pair of spaced non-rotative rubber-tired stripping rollers,means mounting each of said rollers for independent movement, a singlecontrol means for limiting the movement of said rollers in theirdirection of contact without affecting the independent upward movementof said rollers when engaged by an object, and an independent springmeans for each roller arranged to independently resist the upwardmovement of each of said rollers.

7. In a stripping mechanism for the feed hopper of an object treatingmachine; a pair of spaced non-rotative rubber-tiredstripping rollers, ametal treaded stripping member positioned between said rubber-tiredrollers, means mounting each of said rollers and said member forindependent movement, a single control mechanism operable forsimultaneously adjusting all of said rollers and said member withrespect to the objects without affecting the independent upward movementof said rollers and said member when engaged and lifted'by said objects,and a separate spring means acting between each oi the roller and membermounting means and the frame of the machine for resisting the upwardlifting movement of said rollers and said memher.

8. In a stripping mechanism for the feed hopper of an object treatingmachine, a pair of spaced non-rotative rubber tired stripping rollers,means mounting each of said rollers for independent movement, a singlecontrol means for limiting the movement of said rollers in theirdirection of contact without affecting the independent up- Ward movementof said rollers when engaged by an object, and an independent springmeans for each roller arranged to independently resist the upwardmovement of each of said rollers.

9. In a stripping mechanism for the feed hopper of an object treatingmachine; a pair of spaced non-rotative rubber-tired stripping rollers,means mounting each of said rollers for independent movement, a singlecontrol means operable for selecting the plane of contact of saidrollers with respect to the objects without affecting the independentupward movement of said rollers when engaged and lifted by said objects,means for indicating the setting of said control means and anindependent spring means for each roller arranged to resist the upwardlifting movement of their respective rollers.

10. An envelope feeding device for a mail treating machine or the likecomprising in combination, a table adapted to support a stack ofenvelopes, a guide plate extending upwardly from said table for guidingthe leading edges of said envelopes, said guide plate being inclinedopposite to the direction of travel of said envelopes so that when saidenvelopes are held against said guide plate, they are arranged inshingled relationship, a second guide plate extending upwardly from saidtable, said second guide plate being inclined in the same generaldirection as said first guide plate to engage the trailing edges of saidenvelopes and with said first guide plate hold them in shingledrelationship, and means forming a shelf adjacent the lower edge of saidsecond guide plate for supporting the weight of the stack of envelopesto keep the weight thereof off the bottommost envelope when it lies fiaton the table in a position to be fed therefrom.

11. An envelope feeding device for a mail treating machine or the likecomprising in combination, a table adapted to support a stack ofenvelopes, a hopper on said table for said envelopes including aninclined plate for inclining the stack of envelopes rearwardly of theirpath of travel when fed from said hopper over said plate whereby theenvelopes in said stack are maintained in shingled relationship, anenvelope feeding device extending upwardly through said table forengaging the bottommost envelope of the stack and feeding it from saidhopper, and a stripping mechanism coactingwith said feeding device forfeeding but one envelope at a time from said hopperv 12. In a strippingmechanism, in combination, a bracket, a friction treaded strippingmember secured to said bracket, a support, means pivotally mounting saidbracket on said support, spring means associated with said bracket andsaid support for forcing said stripping member in a direction to engagethe article to be operated on, and cam means associated with saidsupport and said bracket and selectively operable to force said bracketand said stripping member in a direction diverse from the direction ofbias of said spring means to set said stripping member in a desiredposition.

13. In a stripping mechanism, in combination, a bracket, a frictiontreaded stripping member secured to said bracket, 2. support, meanspivotally mounting said bracket on said support, spring means associatedwith said bracket and said support for forcing said stripping member ina direction to engage the article to be operated on. cam meansassociated with said support and said bracket and selectively operableto force said bracket and said stripping member in a direction diversefrom the direction of bias of said spring means to set said strippingmember in a desired position, and means for indicating .ie set positionof said stripping member.

14'. In a stripping device for separating the lowermost letter from astack of letters, in combination, a support, a bracket pivotallyconnected to said support, a stripping member non-rotatively secured tosaid bracket whereby said stripping member is movable toward and awayfrom a letter adapted to be engaged thereby, a link connected to saidbracket and extending upwardly therefrom, an arm pivotally connected tothe upper end of said link and to said support, a shaft rotatablymounted on said support, means including a cam disposed between saidshaft and said arm and operable upon rotation of said shaft to pivotsaid arm whereby said link and accordingly said bracket and strippingmember are moved in one direction or another depending on the directionof rotation of said shaft, means for manually rotating said shaft toselectively position said stripping member at a desired elevation,spring means for biasing said stripping member downwardly independentlyof the setting or manually rotatable means.

COMMODORE D. RYAN. FRANK P. SAGER.

